Reviews 2023
PROGNOSIS
Esigen (EP)
UK
December 8th, 2023
The British Progmetal quartet offer modern Progmetal with some Haken vibes
DAWN OF A DARK AGE
Transumanza
Italy
December 8th, 2023
A fascinating Atmospheric Black Metal release, not always easy, but with a certain beauty
EARTHSIDE
Let the Truth Speak
USA
November 17th, 2023
With their 2nd album, the Cinematic proggers paint marvelous sound pictures for our ears
CHARLES SOULZ PROJECT
Trilogy of Mankind (EP)
Brazil
November 24th, 2023
The keyboard wizard takes us from humanity's beginning to a dystopian future
TOEHIDER
XII in XII #5 - Take on a Tank (EP)
Australia
December 1st, 2023
Australian multi-talent Mike Mills comes along with a follow-up of the most metal song ever
DGM
Life
Italy
November 17th, 2023
With "Life", the Italian quintet shares their most mature album to date
ELDRITCH
Innervoid
Italy
November 17th, 2023
Their 13th album, and it's impressive to hear how they evolved at this point of their career
THE WISDOM TREE
A Day Without a Yesterday
USA
November 15th, 2023
A wonderful debut offering instrumental prog with some jazzy and classical influences
ÆOLIAN
Echoes of the Future
Spain
November 10th, 2023
The Mallorcan Melodic Death Metal band close their great, thought-provoking trilogy
DISSONA
Dreadfully Distinct (EP)
USA
November 10th, 2023
The Chicago based progmetal band offer three mighty, Blade Runner related tracks
THE RITUAL AURA
Heresiarch
Australia
November 10th, 2023
Adorned by a mighty dragon, the Tech Death band unleashed their 4th album, and it’s indeed a beast!
PASSAGE
Oblique
Canada
November 10th, 2023
Heart-warming instrumental Postrock, best enjoyed in a quiet surrounding on a fire pit
SHYLMAGOGHNAR
Convergence
Netherlands
November 10th, 2023
An atmospheric, epic journey, musically rooted into Prog, Melodic Death and Black Metal
SORCERER
Reign of the Reaper
Sweden
October 27th, 2023
The Swedish powerhouse unleash their new doom / heavy metal epic
XOTH
Exogalactic
USA
November 3rd, 2023
Cosmic tech-death force Xoth landed to bring some interstellar turmoil into your earthly home
CROSSING THE RUBICON
Eclipse
USA
October 27th, 2023
Instrumental, djent-driven progmetal with mind blowing guitar work and jazzy sax solos
SKY EMPIRE
The Shifting Tectonic Plates of Power - Part I
UK
October 27th, 2023
The UK proggers convince with excellent musicianship and multifaceted compositions
SPLICE
Crypsoria's Echoes (EP)
France
October 19th, 2023
Their first release within 10 years, the quintet is back with an epic piece of Melodic Death Metal
SYLVATICA
Cadaver Synod
Denmark
October 20th, 2023
On their third album, the progressive melodeath band take us to the dark Middle Ages
APOTHEUS
Ergo Atlas
Portugal
October 6th, 2023
Inspired by author Issac Asimov, the progmetal quartet continue with their musical sci-fi saga
OBSIDIAN TIDE
The Grand Crescendo
Israel
September 29th, 2023
The progressive melodeath trio further evolved their sound in a wonderful way
WIZARDS OF WIZNAN
No Light Has No Shadow
Switzerland
September 29th, 2023
Atmospheric black metal, making you feel the wild gorges and forests of their home country
SPURV
Brefjære
Norway
September 22nd, 2023
The Norwegian instrumental post / progrock masters created a mesmerizing piece of art
SUBSIGNAL
The Poetry of Rain
Germany
September 22nd, 2023
An amazing progrock record coming along with a certain, beautiful melancholy
TERMINALIST
The Crisis as Condition
Denmark / USA
September 8th, 2023
Powerful second album by the Danish-American hyperthrash metal four-piece
POMEGRANATE TIGER
All Input Is Error
Canada
September 4th, 2023
One of this year’s highlights ffo sophisticated, instrumental wizardry
KAIJU
K2
Denmark
September 1st, 2023
Progressive metalcore, metaphorically climbing on the world's highest mountain
MINORARC
Inclusions
Australia
September 1st, 2023
Wonderful, instrumental prog with excursions into dark classical and modern electronic music
NOVERIA
The Gates of the Underworld
Italy
August 25th, 2023
With their 4th album, the Italian powermetal quintet offer another genre highlight
TRIPLE KILL
Blackened Dawn
Australia
August 25th, 2023
The Australian five-piece deliver a strong, second record and a hot "video of the year" contender
ATRIA
Ground Zero (EP)
Canada
August 18th, 2023
Mind blowing, modern progmetal, expressing the anger about the world we live in
THE GOD PARTICLE
Postcards From a Fallen Empire
Canada
August 14th, 2023
An impressive debut album, wandering in the wide fields of progressive melodeath and metalcore
HEMINA
Romancing the Ether
Australia
August 11th, 2023
The next chapter in a conceptual story, which spans throughout their entire back catalogue
TOEHIDER
Quit Forever? (EP)
Australia
August 4th, 2023
First in a series of EPs, bringing together a colorful bunch of styles with outstanding vocals
ARCH ECHO
Final Pitch
USA
July 28th, 2023
Fans of instrumental progmetal and related genres will find a lot to enjoy here
LOKUST
Infidel
UK
July 28th, 2023
A modern sounding, high-energetic debut, sitting between thrash and (melodic / tech) death metal
THE PARALLAX METHOD
Folie à Troi
UK
July 14th, 2023
Instrumental progrock fusion, sophisticated yet accessible and groovy
MAREK ARNOLD
The Artrock Project
Germany / International
July 14th, 2023
The German multi-instrumentalist and composer brings together an illustrious prog line-up
BLACKSCAPE
Suffocated by the Sun
Sweden
July 7th, 2023
A new trio on the metal scenery, unleashing a mighty progressive melodeath beast
ARCHAEOLOGIST
Elements
USA
June 30th, 2023
A collection of guitar-centered, diverse tracks, often written and recorded within a single day
AmongRuins
Land of the Black Sun
Greece
June 30th digitally, July 14th physically
The Greek quartet offers a strong, third album with melodeath in Gothenburg style
THE ANCHORET
It All Began With Loneliness
Canada / International
June 23rd, 2023
A highly expressive prog masterpiece unique in its sound, incredibly creative yet always flowing
STRUCTURAL
Decrowned
Israel
June 23rd, 2023
An album with well-balanced sound textures by a band that skillfully melt brutality and melody
PYRAMAZE
Bloodlines
Denmark / USA
June 23rd, 2023
On their 7th album, they offer more symphonic powermetal and some serious earworms
A.M.E.N.
The Book of Lies - Liber I
Italy
June 16th, 2023
Avantgarde Jazzgrind Metal by Dawn of a Dark Age mastermind Vittorio Sabelli
INFINITE SPECTRUM
CAGE
USA
June 16th, 2023
The NY based progmetal band are back with a new concept album, feat 8 different singers
THE ARCANE ORDER
Distortions From Cosmogony
Denmark
June 9th, 2023
The Danish extreme metal act transfers Greek myths into our current times - Brutal and relentless
ATAN
Abnormal Load (EP)
UK
June 9th, 2023
Modern progmetal, alternating between soulful, melodious, and heavier, djent-driven parts
RED CAIN
Näe'bliss
Canada
June 2nd, 2023
Their 3rd album is an homage to Robert Jordan’s epic “Wheel of Time”
HRADA
Mirrorland
Norway
May 19th, 2023
Wonderful, often dreamy prog soundscapes, which easily could be used as a film score
TARDIGRADE INFERNO
Arrival of a Train (EP)
Australia
May 19th, 2023
Their train rolls in heavy and pushing, but also comes along refreshingly cheeky and colorful
ROGER STAFFELBACH
The Quest
Switzerland / International
May 12th, 2023
On his first solo album, the Swiss guitar wizard offers finest instrumental, neoclassical prog
COUNTLESS SKIES
Resonance - Live from the Studio
UK
May 5th, 2023
By changing the arrangements a bit, the songs got a wonderful, new intensity without losing their core
OSM
Plagued by Doubts (EP)
France
April 28th, 2023
The French progressive deathmetal four-piece offers us their satirical vision of today's world
ORPHEUS OMEGA
Portraits (EP)
Australia
April 21st, 2023
Five songs as individual as the musicians behind, since each band member contributed one
NEVERUS
Burdens of the Earth
Netherlands
April 21st, 2023
This debut is some serious listening fun, offering majestic death metal
DYSTERSOL
Anaemic
Austria
April 6th, 2023
With their 3rd album, the Austrian five-piece offer a full-grown, modern death metal beast
MARTIN MILLER
Maze of My Mind
Germany
Release Date: March 31st, 2023
A mesmerizing piece about the challenging journey to become a better self
GOROD
The Orb
France
Release Date: March 10th, 2023
Brutal, highly technical, yet virtuosic and incredibly diverse in their compositions
ABEL SEQUERA
Soundscapes
Spain / International
March 3rd, 2023
Together with 50! guests, the Spanish drummer & composer takes us on a mesmerizing journey
WITCH RIPPER
The Flight After the Fall
USA
March 3rd, 2023
A crazy, space-themed story, great musicianship, and a proggy approach hidden under a sludge tag
BENEATH MY FEET
In Parts, Together
Sweden
March 3rd, 2023
The Swedish quintet skillfully melt elements of modern progmetal, melodeath and metalcore
HYPNO5E
Sheol
France
February 24th, 2023
With this musical piece of art, the avant-garde metal act take us on an intense, challenging ride
VICTOR SMOLSKI
Guitar Force
Germany
February 3rd, 2023
The guitar wizard delivers an amazing album for fans of instrumental prog / powermetal
MASK OF PROSPERO
Hiraeth
Greece
January 27th, 2023
Modern progmetal from Greece, and one of the first musical highlights this year
BLOODY FALLS
Dying is Easy (EP)
Finland
January 27th, 2023
The Finnish five-piece delivers high-energetic, full-sounding melodeath